Speeches and Kisses
by otteropessed523
Summary: DH SPOILERS. What happens after the Battle of Hogwarts? My take on Harry and Ginny's Reunion. Lots of fluffy goodness. HG and RHr. Reviews are highly appreciated.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of Jo Rowling's characters, creatures, or their personality traits.

A/N: This is my version of how the characters would deal with the aftermath of the Battle at Hogwarts. HUGE DH SPOILERS- You have been warned.

Speeches and Kisses

_"It was not my curse that killed him; it was his own…"_

The Gryffindor common room was packed, yet an intense quietness possessed the room. It was the early hours of the morning, and small groups of students, teachers, and members of the Order sat huddled together about the room. Some of them were whispering excitedly while others sat with their arms around one another attempting to comfort each other; and then there were the Weasley's. The Weasley's and Hermione sat and stood around the Gryffindor fireplace; none of them speaking to each other; all lost in their own thoughts.

Ginny Weasley sat on the couch staring into the smoldering coals of the fireplace. Hermione sat beside her; a hand resting on her shoulder; half asleep.

Upstairs in the 7th Year Boy's Dormitory; Ron Weasley sat upright on his four poster bed waiting for his best friend to say something. Harry had only been asleep for a few hours, but there was a growing feeling of relief inside of him. The sun was up, and he could hear the distant sounds of birds chirping in the forest. He didn't know what to say to Ron; he'd lost his brother. Harry looked over at him.

"Everyone's waiting for you downstairs," Ron said quietly looking at his feet. "I-I was down there when you were asleep; they want to thank you or-something," he finished weakly.

Harry took a deep breath and sighed. "I have no idea what I'm going to say to all of them…how do you explain what happened how-how-"

"Beats me Mate, but you've got to do it at some point," Ron said matter-o-factly.

"I guess you're right," said Harry; watching Ron get up from his bed and walk over to the door.

"I'll tell them you're coming," said Ron a reluctant smile on his lips. He turned, opened the door, and disappeared through it.

Seamus and Dean were waiting impatiently outside the door.

"What did he say-"

"Is he alright?"

"When's he coming down?"

"Can We-"

Ron held up his hand in protest. "He'll be down in a minute, give him some room to breathe." He descended the rest of the staircase to find every head turn towards him as he entered the common room. Hermione practically sprinted across the room, and flung herself onto him. He had to suppress the urge to laugh, but simply smiled down at her.

"Are you okay Ron?" she asked sweetly and he reached down to touch her face.

"Yeah…I'm okay." Ron replied, and she smiled.

Hermione took his hand in hers "How's Harry?"

Ron squeezed her hand lightly, "he'll be down in a minute."

Hermione pulled Ron over to sit beside her on the couch, and Ron pulled Ginny into a hug and heard her sob softly in his ear. He looked around the room until he found George; sitting in the farthest corner and staring blankly at the wall. Ginny pulled away from him, and whispered to him, "is Harry alright?"

"He's fine he-" but Ginny wasn't listening, her eyes were fixed on the young man standing at the foot of the staircase. Ron turned as Ginny rose from her seat, and saw Harry standing there awkwardly.

Harry's eyes darted about the room taking in the large number of surprised faces that looked back at him. Most people were getting to their feet, and he sensed the beginning of a series of unwanted applauses as Kingsley, Hagrid, and Flitwick; who were grouped closest to him brought their hands up.

"Please," Harry began by raising his own hand in protest to the crowd's sudden lunge for celebration. "Look... I know you probably all want to show your-appreciation for what I did, and I'm not going to say that it wasn't difficult or important, but I'm not the only one who brought upon Voldemort's death…you all helped. You have already given the best kind of support and appreciation you could offer; you all fought, you all stood beside me to bring them down-to bring Him down... You have no idea how much that means to me, I couldn't have done it without help, and I want you all to know that.

_I _want to thank Ron and Hermione, who stuck by me this year while we"- Harry caught Hermione's eye –"researched how to bring down Voldemort, and I am eternally grateful for their unwavering loyalty." Harry smiled for the first time since he had started speaking as he looked upon his two best friends arm and arm

I know that many of you have suffered losses, and it's not wrong to be sad for those who lost their lives, but you can't lose sight of what has happened," and he smiled for a second time as his eyes fell upon Ginny. "He's gone, and we don't have to live in fear anymore. There is so much to be thankful for…" his body seemed to be pulling him across the room as his gaze was locked with Ginny's. He took a few steps towards her and spoke weakly to the room as a whole, "…and I know that I've done this before, but…" he was level with her now. "I…" he pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply not caring in the slightest that there were at least one hundred people watching. It had been too long and he had missed the feeling of her body so close to his.

Finally the suppressed applause broke out, but it wasn't until Harry broke apart from Ginny that he even noticed the sound, and he couldn't help but smile for a third time as he saw a small grin cross Ginny's face. He looked over the top of her head to see Hermione laughing while hugging a beaming Ron, and he couldn't help but think that it was all worth it.

"Let's take a walk," he whispered to Ginny and he spared a quick glance back at the room as a whole before pulling Ginny by the hand across the room and through the portrait hole.

They raced through the empty hallways; Harry hardly noticing the severe damage that had been done to the castle because the sun seemed to be shining resolutely brighter than he had ever remembered. He looked over at Ginny; her hair ablaze in the sunlight, and pulled her a little closer to his side; lacing his fingers through hers.

The Great Oak front doors were hanging off of their hinges, and there were large gashes in the castle walls, and out on the front steps of the castle; dozens of photographers and reporters.

"Crap!" Harry mused attempting to guide Ginny away; to take a different route.

"Oi-It's him! It's Potter!" One of them cried excitedly, and they all charged forward into the Great Hall; clicking their camera's repeatedly. Ginny gripped Harry's arm; a slightly fearful look in her eyes as the crowd encircled them.

"I Say!" a strangled voice came from outside the crowd. "I told you that you could wait outside!" It was McGonagall, and she bustled forward with authority in every stride. The crowd dispersed reluctantly.

"Can't hide in here forever Potter," Rita Skeeter cackled.

"Rita, don't you know you think that this young man has been through _enough_?" McGonagall asked.

"What?" Rita said, carelessly waving her hand about. "Just want to get his side of the story…" she trailed the last reporters out of the hall.

Harry turned to Ginny, "I have to go and talk to them," he said simply

"I know," she replied, and his eyes shifted to McGonagall; quickly pacing the hallway her lips pressed tightly together. He took a step towards her.

"Professor," Harry began tentatively. "I'll just go and talk to them, and then they should clear off…alright?" She met his eyes, and he could see the strain she felt behind them; he half laughed. "Why don't you get some sleep? I'll take care of this…"

For a moment she hesitated, but then she put a hand on his shoulder, "T-thank you Harry…" she turned to leave, but paused. "You know, I know everyone says how much you're like your father…but I rather think you're more like your mother Harry. They would be _so proud_ of the man you've become Harry; so very proud…"

"Thank you Professor," Harry said, and as she turned to leave he thought he heard her sniffle. He turned to Ginny once again, "wait for me here..?" he asked.

"No," Ginny took hold of his arm. "I want to go with you."

"Kay…"he agreed, and he stepped out onto the grounds as she trailed behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you so much to those who reviewed! The comments were so sweet, I am still grinning; MWAH. Okay…here's more.

As Harry walked through the doorway, he paused on the top steps of the castle. Below him swarmed the dozens of hungry reporters ready to pounce.

"I expect many of you are from the _Daily Prophet,_" he began; arms folded, and not able to keep the resentment out of his voice. "And while the _Prophet_ and the Ministry have shown me very-_little_ support, I know none of you will not rest until you all get you're story; so here it is…Voldemort is dead, and I _was_ the one to cause it; that much is true…but I don't pretend to take all of the credit.

Every single person who remained here at Hogwarts last night did their part, and they know who they are- and that's all that matters really. We were determined to bring down Voldemort, and his followers; and that's exactly what we did. I'm not going to stand here and give you a blow-by-blow account of the horrors that went on here last night because I think, and I rather think that I speak for everyone when I say that, we would like to put last night behind us. Many brave fighters lost their lives in the battle last night, but I believe that their deaths are a mark of the determination to bring down Voldemort…

None of you can understand what this last year has been like for me, and those who were determined to resist the Ministry's oppression and the _Prophet's_ lies. I will say this though; Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger have been with me this year as we-_discovered _how to bring Voldemort down, and they deserve equal recognition for what has been done. I will leave you all with this last statement, and I implore you to not harass those in this castle who all need time to recover from what has just happened…"

The crowd was silent, and Harry drew a deep breath sensing Ginny moving closer to him. "I didn't kill Voldemort; that needs to be known, he was hit by a Killing Curse; yes, but… _it was not my curse that killed him…it was his own._"

With his last words still hanging in the air, he took Ginny by the hand, attempting to pull her through the crowd, and towards the place where his second happiest memory had occurred.

"But what exactly-"

"Where have you been this last ye-"

"What is your plan for the-"

"How-"

"Who is it that-"

"-ENOUGH!" Harry shouted turning to face the now frozen crowd of Wizards. "I have told you all that I am going to say about the matter, now _clear off_ or we will be forced to hex you, and believe me," he said grinning over at Ginny, "us D.A. members know some pretty good ones." He drew his wand out of his pocket, and watched the crowd scramble away. Laughing, he turned back to Ginny and continued to guide her to his destination in mind.

As they neared the lake Ginny went to the waters edge at the foot of a certain beech tree and stared out at the water; glistening in the sun. Harry leaned against the tree and watched her tangled hair blowing in the breeze. She turned to him, and he looked down at the ground.

"But, that day…this is where we-"

"Kissed for hours…" Harry finished for her, looking up to meet her eyes. She smiled and walked over to him taking both of his hands in hers. She pulled him downward to sit beside her beneath the tree, and gently pushed him back to lean against the trunk. Then she kissed his lips softly; running her fingers through his hair. Her kisses moved to his cheeks and ears, and he wrapped his arms around her; pulling her close to him. Her fingers traced lines on the back of his neck as she moved her lips from his neck to kiss his forehead; pressing her lips against his scar. "I've missed you," Harry breathed.

Ginny pulled back and smiled at him "I've missed you too Harry."

Harry put a hand to her face, "it's been so hard- being away from you…not knowing, I barely dared to hope that this day would come…" They kissed again briefly and broke apart. "I'm so sorry about Fred…I know it doesn't help but, I know how you're feeling…"

Ginny smiled weakly, but hugged Harry tighter. "Harry you're so wonderful," she half sobbed into his shoulder. Harry kissed the top of her head; breathing in deeply the scent of her hair.

When she pulled away from his shoulder, he brought his hand up to her face; running his thumb along her cheek to wipe away her tears. He then traced the lines of her face with his fingers. She closed her eyes as he did this, and kissed his forefinger lightly as it found her lips. Her eyes fluttered open, and she kissed him again, but more forcefully this time, pushing him downward to lie on the grass beneath the tree.

She nestled her head on his shoulder; lying on the grass beside him. "What's do you think's going to happen to baby Teddy?" Ginny voiced the concern that has been in the back of her mind since she had seen Remus' and Tonk's bodies lying beside Fred's.

"He'll be alright, he's got his Gran, and…he's got me," Harry said slowly. "Remus made me Godfather…did you know that?"

"Oh! No Harry, I didn't- that's wonderful!" Ginny smiled, and Harry held her tighter…They laid together in silence for a while until Harry voiced his currents thoughts.

"Does this mean that…we are officially back together?" He asked.

Ginny propped herself up on her elbow to look at him. "It better," she said; poking him with her finger. "And don't you ever try to break up with me again; Harry Potter, because I won't let you!" She smiled mischievously. Harry laughed as her face moved closer to his.

Even though she had dark patches under her eyes, and her hair was in tangles, he couldn't help but appreciate just how pretty she was. He wanted to say something momentous to her; something that would make her remember this moment of their reunion. "Don't worry…I'll never leave you again." He whispered.

She smiled as she kissed him, "_Is that a promise?_"

"It is," he assured her.

"Good, because I hated being left in the dark," she confessed. "I don't know why everyone insists on treating me like a child! I mean being the youngest, and having six older brothers, doesn't mean that I-" she caught herself. "Five…" she reminded herself, "five older brothers…" Her eyes filled with tears again and Harry kissed her forehead, and pulled her down onto his shoulder to let her cry into him.

It felt incredibly therapeutic; being the one to comfort her while she was in pain...

"It will be alright…It'll get better with time…I'm here…" he whispered to her; calming her until her soft sniffles became dry sobs.

"You know Harry, I think there's a reason we're together…why we gravitate towards each other, why we understand one another…" Harry looked at her curiously as she continued. "I think its because Voldemort tried so hard to ruin both our lives, he's caused both of us so much pain, but it just seems to have brought us closer together…I-I think there is a reason why we feel so close; so connected," she said quietly. "I think…that we are supposed to heal one another…and I intend," she continued; smiling and planting a kiss on his shoulder, "to make it my mission to heal you the only way that I know how…" and she took his lower lip in both of hers; kissing him methodically.

"Is that a promise?" Harry whispered; slightly breathless after several minutes of we-just-got-back-together-kissing.

"It is…" she assured him.

Fin

A/N: Hello to all my readers, please review to show your support (or any criticisms too) I hope you liked it; I know it was a bit mushy, but hey; I believe these two really deserve some mushiness after all the crap they've been through. If you liked this one, keep your eye peeled for more stories. They won't exactly be sequels, just little windows into the "next nineteen years" of Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny's lives. Happy reading…


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